As Kigali Cine Junction returns for its fourth edition, film lovers have plenty to look forward to during the five-day festival, which kicked off on Wednesday, July 22. Known for providing a platform for homegrown filmmakers, the festival returns with a bigger programme, placing a strong focus on Rwandan films while also showcasing acclaimed productions from across Africa and beyond. Here are five handpicked films worth a watch: Kwibuka Directed by Belgian-Rwandan filmmaker Jonas D'Adesky, Kwibuka stars French-Rwandan actress Sonia Rolland as Lia, a Belgian-Rwandan basketball player who returns to Rwanda for the first time since fleeing the country as a child during the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. After being called up to join the national basketball team, Lia is confronted with unresolved questions about her past, including the possibility that a brother she believed was dead may still be alive. The film premiered at the Red Sea International Film Festival in late 2025 and opened Kigali Cine Junction on July 22. The Blind Couple from Mali Directed by Canadian filmmaker Ryan Marley, this documentary follows legendary Malian musicians Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, known worldwide simply as Amadou & Mariam. The film captures the blind musical duo as they work on what would become their final studio album, while reflecting on their childhood, their home country and their decades-long partnership as both musicians and spouses. The documentary carries added poignancy following the death of Amadou Bagayoko last year. The film screens on Day 2, July 23, at Imbuga City Walk’s car-free zone. Kubana A feature documentary by Jessica Alunaya, Kubana was filmed in Rwanda and explores the memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi and the country’s journey towards reconciliation. The director and members of the cast and crew are expected to attend the screening, which takes place on Day 3, July 24, at Imbuga City Walk’s car-free zone. Memories of Princess Mumbi Directed by Swiss-Kenyan filmmaker Damien Hauser, this Kenyan sci-fi mockumentary is set in 2093 in the fictional, rebuilt kingdom of Umata. It follows a young filmmaker documenting the aftermath of a devastating war. During his journey, he meets Mumbi, who challenges him to tell the story without relying on artificial intelligence—a premise Hauser uses to reflect on AI’s growing role in filmmaking itself. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival’s Giornate degli Autori section, becoming the first Kenyan feature selected for the programme. It screens on July 25 at Cine Mayaka by Imitana. Juju Stories An anthology film from Nigeria’s Surreal16 Collective, Juju Stories is told in three parts by directors Michael Omonua, C.J. “Fiery” Obasi and Abba T. Makama. Each segment draws on Nigerian urban legends and folklore surrounding juju. The stories range from a woman turning to magic to win over a man who is already engaged, to a street hustler whose luck takes a sinister turn and a college student whose obsession with a classmate spirals into tragedy. The film premiered in the Open Doors section of the Locarno Film Festival in 2021. The directors and members of the Surreal16 Collective are expected to attend the screening, which will be followed by a panel discussion on the collective’s work. It screens on July 23 at Cine Mayaka by Imitana. Beyond these five picks, the festival’s five-day programme also features Yakari: La Grande Aventure and BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions on Day 3; a selection of short films from Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Canada, alongside the documentary How To Build a Library, on Day 4; and a closing-night double bill featuring The Kids Are Okay and Saloum on Day.
